Thursday, 26 September 2013

Social Justice Statement tackles globalisation of indifference

24-SEP-2013

Australia’s Catholic bishops have launched the 2013-2014 Social Justice Statement, arguing that with a change in government, Australians must not have a change in heart in their commitment to act on issues such as poverty, the environment, Indigenous people, ageing and inequality.

Launching the statement, Bishop Greg O’Kelly said that while the number of desperately hungry people in the world had halved since the Millennium Development Goals were released in 2000, much remains to be done, as millions more are still in need.

‘Once we understand that these people are individuals, we must respond to their need as individuals’, Bishop O’Kelly said.

‘Organisations including Caritas, Catholic Mission, Jesuit Refugee Service and countless other groups cannot do their work without the individual generosity of people who are willing to offer their time, skill and money.’

Executive Officer of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, John Ferguson, said that under the Coalition policy, Australia would spend only 32 cents of every $100 of gross domestic income on foreign aid, less than half the international standard for developed countries of 0.7 per cent.

‘Twenty per cent of the world’s poorest live in our region. It’s clear that Australia is the rich man and Lazarus is at our gates,’ Mr Ferguson said.

Over on the ABC Religion & Ethics Twitter stream, there’s an open discussion about the extent to which religious leaders should take specific policy positions on issues like climate change and gay marriage. For various reasons, I have a locked down Twitter account at the moment, so I thought I’d scratch out my thoughts here.

As an atheist, I am strongly in favour of religious leaders taking strong policy positions in public debate.

The point of opinion writing, as I’ve argued before, is to translate the bellyfeel intuitions of the broader community into political discourse. Good opinion writers will translate those feelings into useful political language, giving people greater ability to express their own views about important political problems. Opinion writers can only go so far. Not only is it unfashionable for opinion writers to express strong religious convictions, it’s also ineffective. We don’t look to opinion writers to express religious convictions. We look to religious leaders.

Religious leaders have a responsibility to translate the religious intuitions of the various faiths into useful, productive political language. It’s not good enough to abandon their flocks to lay-theological notions about the sanctity of life, for example, or inter-faith relations.

If religious leaders are formally excluded or socially discouraged from entering into political discussions, then we don’t open up an acceptable outlet for religious expression in politics. When that happens, we get the America effect: people turning their homes into Westborough Baptist Churches, starting weird fruitloop cults to troll the legal system.

It also has the effect of domesticating and socialising religious groups. When religious leaders enter the political arena, they’re criticised by everybody — including adherents of their own religion. Thus, if religious leaders want to hold socially inappropriate, backwards, and odious prejudices, they end up being judged by the broader community and younger generations of religious people can affect change within their institutions.

We see this a lot in the Catholic Church, much to their credit. Although I have a lot of time for him and his theological views, Pell’s social views are a remnant of an older age. Already, we’re seeing a new generation of Church leaders come up through the fold who are finding ways to be theologically conservative while socially liberal. Why is this? Because we included Pell in the political discussion and gave him all the rope he needed.

Is it a problem that groups like the Australian Christian Lobby go about their business unchecked? Yes, but no more so than any other lobby group. Australia has a longstanding problem with ensuring that it’s political dealings are in the public space. But this is a secular — rather than a religious — problem.

Atheists should not only be happy for religious leaders to express political opinions, they should encourage them. Encourage the best theologians to enter the public debate and watch the quality of our religious communities improve.

~~~~~~
And after those thoughtful remarks you might want to tune into this (this is an embedded Tweet):

The 'Politics in the Pulpit' debate will resume this Sunday, on local ABC Radio nat'lly, at 10pm. Tune in - we'll be taking calls.
— ABC Religion&Ethics (@ABCReligion) September 20, 2013

Ethiopian Elders and Sukkot: Wisdom in the Wilderness

Another in our series of blogs sees Tanenbaum Peacemaker Dr. Ephraim Isaac from Ethiopia, talk about how locally led initiatives are key to building peace on Peace Day in Africa and around the world
During the last fifty years, there have been terrible conflicts in the Horn of Africa that have cost millions of lives. In that period, about five hundred large and small conflicts worldwide have occurred in which a larger percentage were inspired by religious motives or promoted by religious leaders.

I was born during the Italo-Ethiopian conflict. When the war ended in 1941, I was about three years old. One of my playmates was killed during the liberation war. As a child I never understood what it meant to be killed by a bomb, but it left a deep hatred of war in me. Fortunately, my father, a Yemenite Jew, was a strong believer in the Hebrew Prophets who taught peace, love and respect.

A favorite of my father was the Prophet Isaiah. He said about three thousand years ago “nations will no longer wage war against each other; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks”.

I believe religion can be a force to reduce warfare, even if warring cannot be eliminated. Messages about peace are practically universal in religion.

In general, since ancient times, the tradition of all the peoples of my homeland, Ethiopia, have been known as a tolerant, hospitable, and generous peoples. So, my mother too, who came from an Oromo-Cushitic tradition taught me love and peace.

I grew up seeing wise Oromo elders sitting under big sycamore trees talking about peace and reconciling with enemies. The tradition of the Oromo I knew was among the most tolerant and peaceful.

In 1989, together with a distinguished group of Ethiopian professions and elders (among them Dr. Haile Selassie Belay, Dr. Tilahun Beyene, Dr. Ahmed Moen, Dr. Mulugeta Eteffa, Dr. Astair GM Amante, and others) I helped found an ad hoc peace committee that has now evolved into the well-known Horn of Africa Peace & Development Center (PDC) in Addis Ababa.

This group has remained intact with a Horn of Africa elders group for over twenty years. From time to time the group also forms Coalition of Ethiopian Elders for specific conflict resolution purposes. We as a family of peacemakers and elders have led many successful peace building efforts in modern Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa.

Such actions have to be locally led. That is why village elders worldwide are the key to world peace and reconciliation. Only simple and modest actions taken by wise unassuming local elders in specific contexts and regions can contribute to lasting peace. Is the world ready to show respect to such wise elders and collaborate with them?

In my humble opinion, sitting under a tree and speaking directly with conflicting parties for little or no pay, can achieve much more to bring peace in the world and promote reconciliation worldwide, than sitting at round tables in beautiful hotels and expensive conference centers.

This is the season of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot when Jews move out of their fancy quarters and comfortable beds and live for about a week in a simple hut made of simple sticks and shrubs and leaves. It behooves all of us who seek peace in the world at this time of International Peace Day to come down from time to time from our high sofas and sit on humble ground for the sake of peace and reconciliation.

I myself plan this Peace Day 21st September 2013 to have a reception at my place, to sit on humble ground with some of my friends to talk about the method of peace and reconciliation based on action.

Thursday, 19 September 2013

Archaeological digs are wonderful, mysterious, magical, informative things. Here is one of interest which relates to the Christian tradition. Do you have a story from another faith tradition which would be of interest to this blog? If so, please email ballaratinterfaithnetwork@gmail.com.

Dalmanutha, a Biblical town described in the Gospel of Mark as the place where Jesus sailed after miraculously multiplying a few loaves and fish to feed 4,000 people, may have just been discovered by archaeologists, reports LiveScience.

So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.-Mark 8:8-8:10, King James Version

I prayTo dissolve myself in the EarthTo feel humanness dissolve back into the EarthWhence it came

With each outbreath to ask the EarthTo purifyTo mingleTo diluteThis over-concentrated humanness

And with each inbreathTo breathe in the ancient flowThe unconditioned pure certainty that comesFrom 4000 million years of uninterrupted success

And for this to dissolve the crystalCraggy structures withinOf habituated poverty and fearOf this tiny identity turned inwards upon itselfBreathing only its own emanationsDancing only to its own petty tune

And with the outbreathTo tease it out into the world(as much of it as will surrender)And out in the worldTo mingle, comingle, dance and disolveSo that the next inbreath comes inPure and uncompromisingFrom the vast southern ocean breathFrom Antarctica, (remembering GondwanalandWhen that land and this land were oneAnd my DNA scurried out of the wayOf dinosaurs)And once again dissolveThe puny structures of the egoThe wretched disconnected human song withinSo long deprived of connectionWith the great billion voices harmonyWhich alone can give it meaning and endurance

And each time the inbreathIs like a sponge soaking up the bileThe corpses full of fomaldehydeThe foul rotting vapoursFor so long feeding on themselvesHidden from the sunDivorced from the exchangeThe interplayThat alone can keep things fresh and alive

And as the human falls back into the danceBack into harmonyWith the tune that created itI offer my eyes to the EarthSo that it can have my perspectiveOffer all my sensesSo that all that I see from this placeThe Earth can seeI quit refusing to be Her organsQuit holding back my perspectiveQuit blinding Her to what my eyes see coming downBecome that part of HimThat can seeWarning HerPreparing HimAlerting, waking, and pleading for moreMore diversity pleaseMore eternityMore timeTo dissolve impurity and be dissolvedTo be aligned again within the EarthTo fall once more into ancient harmony

For Creekers who are not familiar with the Pew Research Center, I have included some details about them below. Pew has been around for quite a while and for those with serious faith interests it is good to be familiar with the work it has done and is doing.

The Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project, launched in 2001 as the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs.

The project conducts surveys, demographic studies and other social science research to examine a wide range of issues concerning religion and society in the United States and around the world – from shifting religious composition to the influence of religion on politics to the extent of government and social restrictions on religion.

The project also covers a range of issues that often have a religious component – from abortion and gay marriage to stem cell research and church-state controversies.

The Religion & Public Life Project is directed by Luis Lugo and is part of the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The centre conducts public opinion polling, demographic studies, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research does not take positions on any of the issues it covers or on policy debates.

As readers of this blog will know, we are in the middle of what are known as the High Holy Days within the Jewish tradition. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have passed and now we move into Sukkot known as the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles which serves to remind people of their time in the desert after leaving Egypt thousands of years ago. (Scroll back a little and you will find posts about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur)

Brigid O'Carroll Walsh - who is Secretary of the Ballarat Interfaith Network - will be one of the speakers at this event next Saturday. Please come along and support her and say hello.

Friday, 13 September 2013

As I write this, my Jewish friends in Melbourne and Brisbane are
having a meal before the fast of Yom
Kippur begins.

Last week there wasRosh Hashanah,the
Jewish New Year,which marks the entry to what iscommonly known as theHigh Holy days. This
ten day period is known as theDays of Awe.This is
a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous
year and repent before Yom Kippur.

Fasting on Shabbat (the Sabbath - Saturday) is
not usual. In the Jewish calendar there aresix
fasts. If any one of them (apart fromYom Kippur) falls out on Shabbat,
Shabbat takes precedence and there is no fasting on that day. The fast is
usually pushed off until Sunday (or in one instance -- the Fast of Esther -- it
is observed on the Thursday beforehand, because the day after Shabbat, Sunday,
will be Purim).

The one exception to this rule is Yom Kippur,
when we fast even if it is Shabbat, as it is a biblical fast, and the Torah calls
it "Shabbat Shabbaton" - the Shabbat of Shabbats (in English, the
Sabbath of Sabbaths) implying that it takes precedence over Shabbat.

The article is well-constructed, well written and his argument is well made - as one would expect, from one of the nation's leading writers and recorders of our social relationships. It is not a short article. The best journalism is in long-form done by people of the calibre of Tsiolkas and published, these days, in journals such as The Monthly. Certainly, this sort of journalism is seldom found in the newsprint editions of Murdoch and Fairfax.

Jana Favero's story is included in the article. Some of us remember her from the Bendigo Forum in June which sought new approaches in speaking for the interests of refugees and asylum seekers. This goes to the heart of Tsiolkas' article. The level of our conversation. Our focus on matters of small relevance while ignoring the topics of larger relevance.

This is why I believe our interfaith work to be of such great value when done well. Interfaith brings us into contact with all sorts of people, beliefs, ethnicities and points of view. Our Ballarat Interfaith Network motto of "Conversations not conversions" speaks volume for our attitudes. We are clear that we wish to be respectful, we want to hear the viewpoints of others - and we understand how different we human beings all can be.

So I hope you can make yourself a cup of coffee - well, you may need two or perhaps three - and settle in the sun with this article and have a good think at what Tsiolkas is saying to us and about us. Out of all our good thinks just might come a different discourse and different attitudes - and the new approaches we dreamed of in Bendigo.

Thursday, 12 September 2013

Karen Armstrong is one of the great contributors to the interfaith scene with a substantial list of written works. Armstrong received the $100,000 TED Prize in February 2008. She used that occasion to call for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year. In short, Armstrong puts her money where her mouth is. Armstrong is a clear thinker. She sits or has sat on a substantial mix of different faith (yes faith not interfaith) organisations. Clearly, she has the confidence of a broad spectrum of faith traditions. Out of her own personal experience has come a substantial body of work and, in more recent times, something which Armstrong hopes will have a greater on-the-ground effect across the world --- Charter for Compassion.

September 10, 2013

Greetings,
Inter-cultural dialogue is an open and respectful exchange of views between individuals and groups from different cultures that lead to a deeper understanding. The lack of this is the origin of most conflict.
I know a little about this. As a mother, I raised three sons, and my parenting skills were most challenged when my sons disagreed and fought over a toy or my attention. I learned in those moments how important it is to teach them peacemaking skills. In fact, given the current state of the world, teaching this skill to young people is our only hope if we are to create a sustainable and compassionate world.
The Charter for Compassionate Education is an exciting development on this front. Its’ very existence gives credibility to what I, and zillions of other parents, have always known – that integrating compassion into a child’s education is the most important value (s)he will learn and the soil from which all meaningful learning grows.
Check out the Charter for Compassionate Education featured below, and share it with educators where you live.

Warm regards,

Sekai Ayana-Senwosret

"We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world...indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community."

~ The Charter for Compassion

The Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest co- opetition begins September 11 and runs through the 21st. This year's games are hosted in fifteen cities, from Seattle to Gurgaon, India. The Games are a fun way to engage the community and promote service projects, positive social connection and community pride. There are four ways to play: Service Projects, Random Acts of Kindness, Secret Agents of Compassion and sharing stories on the Compassion Map. The Compassion Games are an example of how the Charter for Compassion is inspiring action around the world. Visit the Compassion Games website to learn how to play and organize your city and play in 2014. Add your hometown to the growing list of players!

Research shows that compassionate business practices benefit society and are good for the bottom line. For example A.W.I.S.H. is a new partner, and their mission is to promote sustainable development and quality of life for residents in Nepal, particularly, and across the region in South Asia. A.W.I.S.H, and partners like them, are changing the landscape of business because they are driving both economic and social agendas. If you are not already a partner then why not consider joining our community of 52 business partners who are committed to integrating the principles of the Charter into their business practice. Check out our Prezi to find out why compassion is a new driver for business growth. Then explore our Business Compassion Reader, a comprehensive library of articles related to compassionate business

Read about our other 30 healthcare partners and what they are doing from Europe to Asia. Hearts in Healthcare aims to put the care back in healthcare. The Upaya Zen Center is a practice, service, and training center devoted to integrating practice and social action by bringing together wisdom and compassion to the care of others. Public Health England has been established to protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing, and to reduce inequalities. If you know of healthcare providers and agencies that should be a part of our community, tell them about The Charter for Compassion International.

The global peace and non violence initiative is a cross-sector global community that is reframing how we address conflict inspired by the ideas of the Charter for Compassion. We recently debuted the Peace and Non Violence Compassion Reader containing a comprehensive collection of 'must read' articles and contributions from within the movement. We also have 39 Charter partners who are actively building bridges of peace around the world including Peaceful Tomorrows who are turning grief in to actions for peace. These are great examples of how the Charter is coming to life as movement builders are inspired to create a more peaceful world.

Compassion Games run September 11-21

Check out the website for city specific information. There is a great deal happening in the UK this fall: participate in AnonCare's Enhancing Compassion in Healthcare in Birmingham on September 23, hear Karen Armstrong at St. Paul's Cathedral on September 24, and on October 24 participate in the Empathy and Compassion in Society Conference. Find out about conferences in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and the U.S. Visit Events at our Charter site.

Poverty and Wealth in America

An open dialogue on "Poverty and Wealth in America" is running throughout September and October, via in-person and virtual gatherings. The organizers are looking for participants as well as "point people" to help connect and engage members of the Compassion Movement. There is an optional introductory call Saturday September 14th at 8am Pacific/11am Eastern (US time). Click here or email Ben Roberts of The Conversation Collaborative for more information.

From Brigid:Over the years, I have shifted house many times. As a former librarian, I am good at weeding out bookshelves. As, in my later life, my homes have got smaller space has been a real issue. So what I am down to now is what I consider the barest of bare essentials --- perhaps. Among these books that I consider spiritually valuable are the Essential Rumi - translations by Coleman Barks with John Moyne and Essential Sufism - edited by James Fadiman & Robert Frager. If, having been fascinated by the meditative and mystical poem below, you want to read more of Rumi, please go here. Each year in Melbourne the Mevlevi Order hold a Remembrance of Rumi which is a wonderful meditative experience complete with whirling dervishes. To find out more about Sufism and the Mevlevi Order - one of a number of Orders within Sufism - please go here. For more serious delving, one of the best known of the writers of Sufism is Idries Shah. Please go here for bio and a booklist.

Victorian Faith Networks Council of Victoria

Compass

2018 PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS

Religions getting together in peace

Interfaith Voivces

From the Dacorum Interfaith Network

An Interfaith Tree of Life

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Joining Ballarat Interfaith Network? Please consider...

B.I.N. welcomes new members from a variety of faiths, belief systems, and spiritualities. Membership for individuals is $10 and for organisations is $50. B.I.N. meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month at the Eastwood Leisure Complex, 20 Eastwood Street, Ballarat at 7pm. B.I.N. members would love to meet you.

The Motto of Ballarat Interfaith Network

What is interfaith dialogue?

Ballarat Interfaith Network has the motto "Conversations not Conversions". Interfaith organisations come from a desire to understand and show respect for those of faiths other than the individual's own faith. These organisations allow friendships and dialogue to develop.
Please go to the following link for more detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_dialogue

Title and Background photograph

The title of the blog comes from a Judith Wright poem. To read the poem please go to the post at http://interfaithinballarat.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/wisdom-and-knowledge-gained-beside-creek.html

The background of this blog was taken from a photograph by Brigid O'Carroll Walsh, the author of this blog. The photograph shows oak trees beside the Yarrowee River. It was taken from Esmond Street on Ballarat's historic Black Hill Reserve. Esmond Street forms part of the Yarrowee Trail as well as the Goldfields Track and is a favourite place for walkers, joggers, bikers, and dogs.